Cardinal Health (NYSE:CAH) said today that it has launched the first surgical incise drape using the antiseptic chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG).
Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health’s surgical drape includes Avery Dennison Medical’s patented BeneHold CHG adhesive technology designed to reduce the risk of contamination with organisms typically associated with surgical site infections.
The company said it designed the incise film to be strong, conformable and breathable while providing a sterile surface to create a barrier to contamination, and the adhesive helps to prevent edge lift of the drape while still removing easily after surgery without harming fragile skin.
The incise drapes not only help to prepare a patient’s skin for surgery but also aid in protecting the wound from horizontal bacterial contamination during surgery, the company said. An in-vivo animal study showed that the novel CHG drape significantly reduced MRSA contamination in the wound and around the incise area when compared to non-antimicrobial and iodophor-based drapes.
“CHG is trusted as a topical antiseptic for surgical patient skin preparation,” Cardinal Health Senior Consultant in Clinical Operations Tina Keller said in a news release. “Utilizing the antimicrobial properties of CHG in the actual adhesive of the surgical drape is an innovative approach that is intended to improve patient care by further reducing the risk of microbial contamination. We look forward to showcasing this innovative new product with clinicians at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) global conference this week.”